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Ask HN: is it possible to open source an iOS app and protect it from copies?

7 points by ratsimihah ↗ HN
I want the benefits of contributing to FOSS and getting feedback from the community and making the app free, while still generating revenue from it and protect it from imitations though code steal.

What would the most appropriate license be for that?

Is there any way we could get funding from VCs/angels for such an app?

8 comments

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wlaurance
Obviously keep the keys to the castle out of version control.

I wrote a small blog post [0] on a similar topic not too long ago.

I went with the BSD 3 Clause license for the project I am working on [1][2]. I am not a lawyer so I have no idea if this is a good license or not. I was going for one that would force people to retain the copy right notice.

Obviously you would control the developer account and name of the app. So it would take some effort and money for someone to rename and republish under a new app name.

[0]http://www.wlaurance.com/2014/01/A-Different-Approach-to-Pro...

[1]https://github.com/t3mpus/tempus-api/blob/master/LICENSE

[2]http://www.t3mp.us

556790
I'm wondering the same thing. So far the only thing I can come up with is to leave out the storyboard when pushing to github. With some effort, they can still replicate it though.
wlaurance
Its all about the activation energy to replicate the app. Open sourcing lowers that amount significantly.
556790
I didn't think this would be a problem at first. But according to other developers of popular apps, it is.

In the end, I decided not to open source my app, because there was nothing ground-breaking anyway.

It's still a good thing to open-source any libraries though because it usually still takes a significant amount of effort to implement and turn into a complete app.

ratsimihah
Good idea! That'd be one layer of protection for sure.
citruspi
I'm not sure about funding from VC's and Angels, but you could license the source under the GPL license.

In addition, look at this[0] discussion about open source software on the Mac App Store.

And, for what it's worth, there used to be an app called DocSets which was on the iOS app store and open source on GitHub[1]. I believe it sold rather well.

[0]: http://apple.stackexchange.com/a/59495

[1]: https://github.com/omz/DocSets-for-iOS

c1sc0
Timely question, I'm considering doing the same for a project I am working on now. Could you turn it into an app with a recurring SaaS component (e.g. I will make the app available on github & for free on the App Store, but require payment for server-side data storage)
blezek
I have a FOSS port on the app store[0] (3 actually, [1][2]) and have posted the code on Github. Barely anyone has even noticed. I wouldn't worry too much about someone stealing your app. The apps are GPL, Apple didn't seem to mind.

[0]: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/marathon-1/id419805412?mt=8

[1]: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/marathon-2-durandal/id421697...

[2]: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/marathon-infinity/id42277554...

[3]: https://github.com/dblezek/marathon-ios